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  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #1571293  by dgvrengineer
 
lordsigma12345 wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 7:21 pm I found the new bedding - especially the blanket - much better than the previous - but so far it’s only on the auto train.
Not only on the Auto Train. I had the new bedding on 67 too last month. I agree, it is much better. The blanket is lighter and warmer.
 #1583421  by zuluwarrior
 
October ride southbound, a few more changes. Sold out again, another 46 car consist. The day before you might have been able to snag the last roomette for $1100 or the last bedroom for $1250. Plus car, etc. You might have sold a priority car slot for that!

Seated breakfast is back for the sleepers. As before, the mini bagels are gone in favor of completely sealed things (counting a banana as that too). Dinner was "en suite" at 5 and 6, and seated in the dining car at 7 and 9. The 4 ups were set up for 1, 2 or 3 pax according to your accommodations, so they weren't seating different parties together. As before, the Flat Iron steak was spectacular, and the vegetables were meh. Staff was working hard.

Ice still in just the x-country lounge car, which was in the middle serving both coach and sleepers. Coach had another lounge car. Sleepers had a dining car and a lounge car acting as spillover tables.

Freight traffic delayed us about 2 hours so we had to pick up a third set of conductors north of DeLand to bring the train in.

Our car was slightly different than before. I don't think this is new, just the car we had. In addition to one AC outlet at one of the reading lights, there was a full duplex outlet above the steps.
 #1583530  by lordsigma12345
 
More changes coming - they are bringing the dinner menu and desserts from out west to the Auto Train. Cafe menu is also getting refreshed. And they are going to first beverage on us like they have elsewhere instead of just first wine.
 #1583639  by Gilbert B Norman
 
$873 is "just too much".

That's the rate for a Bedroom and auto On 52 29JAN (Northbound Sat), and a "voyage" I could make. The Cleveland Orchestra plays in Miami both Jan 22 and 28 (during the week. I'd move the act up to Boca and a slightly cheaper hotel). I haven't heard them since Jan '19; also haven't seen my friends in Fredericksburg since Oct '19.

Besides, I'd sooner visit wineries and "stock up" in the Spring or Autumn- not the dead of Winter (VA wines are not sold in or shipped to Illinois).

Maybe if the rate was, say, $650, I'd give it a thought. It doesn't matter if I can afford it, I just don't like having my "obscenity button" pushed.
 #1583644  by lordsigma12345
 
Mr. Norman in case of the unlikely event the price drops down and you consider another voyage the new Auto Train dinner menu:

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... r-1021.pdf

If they bring over all portions of what they’re doing out west including the garnishes this is a big improvement in presentation than what they were doing on the AT.
 #1583719  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 7:25 pm $873 is "just too much"...... The Cleveland Orchestra plays in Miami both Jan 22 and 28
Zulu, can't do 27th.

Your handle suggests you are or have been in Service. Well, so have I; and some quarters I had were "Roomette sized". But that's in the past as in more than 50 years ago. Therefore, I think Bedroom nowadays.

Again, let me note living in the Chicago area, AT only saves me 400 miles of driving and no time whatever. One thing when I was younger and more sociable to meet people and enjoy the journey. Today, it's simply board, grab some ice (which bet they've cut out) for the bottle, take Dinner in the room and not otherwise leave it until destination.
 #1583931  by zuluwarrior
 
Yes, from Chicago it doesn't make as much sense. And for the longest time I thought the 850 miles of AT were the easiest part of the drive, compared to the Northeast and the Dayton/Orlando/Tampa stretch. Then I realized it was actually the most stressful, since most of the I95 stretch in North Carolina/South Carolina is two lanes. So for us this is 4 and half hours of driving, then AT, then another 2 and a half of driving, in a slightly shorter amount of time than when we did the drive over two days. (I will leave out the time we did it in one 21 hour stretch; it took us 3 days to uncorkscrew ourselves).

I just meant if you don't do it on Friday/Saturday you can save a lot. And for a single the roomette can save a lot.

(Ice in the xc lounge.)
 #1586309  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Bargain fare? What bargain fare?

For when I could have made use of such, #52(29JAN) the fare reported at the website for auto and me in a Bedroom is $1512.

If I even make the trip, it will be a "game day decision". Even if the early reports that Omicron is a relatively mild variant (breakthroughs only get the sniffles), The Cleveland Orchestra could still CX and if that be the case, so will I.

Any hotels I've booked, Hilton in Boca and Marriott Biscayne Bay, are all 48hr notice, so at this time, I'd "be out clean" should I scrub.
 #1586325  by lordsigma12345
 
Mr. Norman, I do see some $129/$329 fares on there but I believe there are blackout dates for some “peak travel periods” like holiday weekends both north and south and the amount of discounted rooms may be limited per day but I’m not 100% sure on the latter point. Like on Jan 13 I see the discount active for north bound but not south bound - other days I see it for both.
 #1586328  by Gilbert B Norman
 
OK Mr. Lord, I will concede. If I were to spend two extra days "down below" burning up $350 a night for hotel and at least $100 a day on "Meals and Incidentals", "Lady Lex" and I could have the ride on #52(31 JAN) for $537.

As is, the planned trip is twelve days; any longer, and I get "yantzy"; my house, my bills, my portfolio. I wasn't the happiest when during Jan '19 I flew down and owing to adverse weather (a Polar Vortex), I was held over for two days account no return flights. Thanks goodness I can afford hotels; how about the people who can't because to go on their trip, their cards were "maxed"? Well, I guess that's what "Camp Miami International" is all about.

Now where Amtrak was deceptive, they should have stated in their description "selected days and trains" instead of at a tabbed terms and conditions; "limited availability".

$1512 stands for a voyage on #52(29 JAN).
 #1586334  by lordsigma12345
 
Interestingly the 1/29 doesn't appear to be a blackout date as the $129 roomettes and $29 coach are showing - I'm wondering if the inventory of discounted rooms is limited and once they hit a certain ceiling boom no dice.
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